Warmth for an Outlaw
by light blue
Summary: (Complete) Gene... the 'don't let anyone hold you down' outlaw, and his thoughts when Melfina cured him from poison.
1. Memories

**T**his is Gene's point of view when he's in the navigational tank with Melfina when he has poison in episode 8.  
_______

  
  
I'm dying... aren't I? ...damn it...  
  


  
"Mm..."  
  


  
I can't move. Damn that pirate bastard. DAMN IT ALL!!! Where the hell am I, anyway? What's that slight beeping..? I can't even open my eyes!--Argh! C'mon Gene, be brave... take death like a man. Like... dad.  
  


  
"...Mmn..."  
  


  
_~~~~~~~_  
  


  
"Hey dad, I learned all the controls already."  
  


  
I could tell by the look on your face that you were proud of me. Heh, I guess I got your trait by being a quick learner. But then.. everything happened so quickly. In a blink of an eye, we were being attacked by pirates. You were wounded from the explosions, but you still managed to shove me into the escape pod and close the door.  
  


  
"Dad, wait!!"  
  


  
I was so confused; everything was happening so damn quickly.  
  


  
"Sorry Gene, but I want you to live!"  
  


  
I know you did. But.... I wanted you to live too.  
  


  
"No dad, don't do it!"  
  


  
I tried, but somehow, I knew that you were going to, no matter what I screamed. That's why my eyes began to tear...  
  


  
"Good luck, my son."  
  
Dad... if only we weren't attacked by pirates... you'd still be alive today. And now.. I'm about to die by the hands of a pirate. I'm sorry. Without you, I'm nothing. I'm-  
  


  
"Daaaad!! Noooooo!"  
  


  
_~~~~~~~_  
  


  
"I'm.... I'm... alone."  
  


  
Ever since that horrible event, I've been alone.  
  


  
"..Gene....."  
  


  
Ever since that horrible event, I've been afraid of space.  
  


  
"Gene.."  
  


  
...I'm gonna die...  
  


  
"Gene..!"  
  
  
"Huh--!"  
  


  
...Melfina. She's-- we're in.. the tank..? Is that possible? I guess so, but what're we.. doing in here?  
  


  
"Gene... you're not alone, I'm here now.. I'm here to heal you."  
  


  
Heal.. me..? ..You can really do that?  
  


  
"Open your heart..."  
  


  
Your hand... you're offering me your hand. I want to grab it, but I can't move. Ugh-- I have to.. her hand is waiting for mine-- There. Please don't let go, Mel... I'm so weak-- Your eyes... they look so peaceful.. you're not lying, are you? You're- here for me. But that can't be. I'm an outlaw.. a lone wolf... you shouldn't be here for me.  
  


  
"Uh, a-aaahhh!-uh..ooh.."  
  


  
You're holding me. Why do I feel... so content? So relaxed? So warm inside? Is this the way the tank makes you feel, or is it because... your arms are around me? Melfina....  
  


  
"Gene.... Gene.... Gene.... Gene.... Gene.... it's alright. I understand... everything's fine now. It looks like I can be of help to you. No more worries... I can save you Gene."  
  


  
So, I'm not gonna die afterall. I get another chance to live. Melfina saved my life... she is here for me. Don't let go of me, Mel...  
  


  
"Hmmmm...."  
  


  
Hold me like this for a little while longer...


	2. Ending The Moment

"Everything's alright...."  
  
  
  
Melfina's voice was heard throughout the liquid oxygen of the navigational tank as her loving arms were wrapped around Gene's bare torso. Her warm bare body was softly pressed against his own. Those soft brown eyes of hers were closed as she concentrated on the strange sounds of the tank. Her raven hair floated about the content look upon her face, although there was a soft smile upon her lips. She was glad she could save Gene, and she was also glad that she had a chance to hold him so closely like this. Ever since he made that promise to her, that's all she wanted to do, and now she was embracing him, cherishing every moment she could before she had to let go. For all she knew, there wouldn't be another moment like this with him again. But sadly, after a short while, it was time to go. Her long dark lashes parted as her eyes opened slowly. That soft smile of hers slowly faded as well.  
  
  
Gene, on the other hand, had the most content look on his face ever. Being the outlaw that he was, he's never felt this way in his life. His ocean blue eyes were closed and he stood still, loving ever moment in there with her. From the way she was holding him, he wanted to embrace her into his arms as well, but that would ruin his reputation of being an outlaw now, wouldn't it? Deep inside this redheaded outlaw, he wanted affection and warmth like what he was feeling with her, but he hid that rather well. He was taught not to let anything hold him down. But the way they were like this, right now it wasn't minded.  
  
  
"Gene ... the poison has been cleaned out of you,"  Mel spoke out, although her lips didn't move a muscle.  "I-- It's time to go back up now."  
  
  
Those loving arms and hands that were around him started to loosen. As much as she didn't want to let go, she knew she had to. But suddenly, she felt his large warm hands come over her small arms as he held them where they were. Melfina blinked in surprise a couple of times as she lifted her head off of his back, only to look up to the back of his head. Her hair, of course, following her movements slowly around her face as she did so.  
  


  
  
"Gene—"  
  


  
  
"Melfina..."  His eyes softly opened only to stare straight forward for a moment. Blinking gently, he slightly lowered his head and a soft frown came over his features. He wanted to tell her that he didn't want to go, he wanted to tell her that he loved to feel her warmth, but he couldn't tell her. He was an outlaw, he couldn't let anyone get in his way ... not even Melfina.  
  
  
"...alright...." That was all he could get out. After that was hesitantly said, those warm hands of his slowly slid off of her small arms and back down to his sides.  
  
  
The girl closed her eyes and frowned sadly to herself, letting her arms slowly let go of him and to come up over her bare breasts. The strange vibrating sound the tank was letting out seemed to sound a little louder as it became dark around them once again, like when they first got in there. After a moment, the sound stopped and it was completely silent. Only their bodies were glowing.  
  
  
After a moment of silence, Gene turned himself around to face her. His ocean blue eyes looked down at her full of care and sentimentality. The way her hair floated about her face, the way her milky white skin looked, her beautiful face, even from her touch, that's what made him secretly love her. Usually this womanizer would check a woman out in other places, but strangely not this time. But it wasn't just her looks that made his love for her, it was her herself. Noticing her frowning sadly, he raised his right hand to her smooth cheek and cupped it in his hand, allowing his thumb to run across it gently.   
  
  
Melfina felt his touch and her big brown eyes opened after a couple of blinks, looking from his muscular chest all the way up to his eyes. Her frown disappeared as she looked into his eyes, but there was something different about him to her. This was the way he acted when he made that promise to her that day, but this time he was silent. It was as if his eyes were trying to tell hers "thank you" without words. Or maybe something else? Melfina closed her eyes after staring at his for a moment and leaned her face into his hand gently. Gene's thumb only traveled from her cheek to her closed eye, running it over her closed eyelashes once slowly before taking his hand away.  
  
  
Before they both knew it, they were being raised up as their bodies became dark along with the darkness of the tank. As this was happening, Melfina opened her eyes again to get one last look at that loving look upon his features that she felt she would never see again. Gene only looked back at her as it became pitch black, wanting so badly to kiss her, but it was too late.   
  


  
  
Their moment ended.  
  



End file.
